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Trejo Institute to Focus on Health Information Issues for Hispanics and Latinos

by Karen Vargas

Librarians, information specialists, health educators and health professionals serving Hispanics and Latinos are invited to register for the 2007 Trejo Foster Foundation Institute to be held July 12 – 14 on the campus of the University of Arizona. The bi-annual Institute brings together leaders, practitioners and students in the library and information fields to discuss and advocate for issues, policies and practices that affect Hispanic Latino communities and individuals.

The 2007 Institute will focus on creating awareness of information resources related to the health issues of Hispanics and Latinos, showcasing best practices in libraries and information centers, and providing librarians, health information specialists and healthcare providers with the knowledge to improve services and health care. This year, a diverse array of regional and national experts will present a comprehensive look at health information services for Hispanics and Latinos.

Plenary sessions include lectures, panel discussions and best practices. Breakout sessions offer participants the opportunity for more in-depth exploration of specific areas of interest. Topics presented over the two-day Institute range from social, historical and cultural influences on the health status of Hispanics in the U.S., to funding sources, research and community outreach. A complete schedule and agenda is posted on the conference Web site.

Registration for the two-day Institute is $75.00, which includes all conference activities plus meals. Students are eligible for a reduced rate of $40.00. A limited number of conference scholarships are available. Conference participants traveling to Tucson are eligible to reserve rooms in available UA residence halls at a low conference rate.

The Trejo Foster Foundation Institutes are a key initiative for the Trejo Foster Foundation, established on September 4, 1992, in Tucson, Arizona, to honor and continue the work of Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo. Born in México and raised in Tucson, Dr. Trejo was president of the Trejo Foster Foundation until his passing in 2002. He was also professor emeritus at the University of Arizona where he once directed the Graduate Library Institute for Spanish-speaking Americans (GLISA). Dr. Trejo also founded Hispanic Books Distributors (HBD) and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and Spanish speakers.

The 2007 Trejo Foster Foundation Institute is sponsored by the University of Arizona School of Information Resources and Library Science in partnership with the University of Arizona Health Sciences Library. Major funding for the Institute is being provided by the Trejo Foster Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, WebJunction (an online community for library staff), Elsevier (the world’s leading publisher of science and health information), and local chapters of Reforma (a national association to promote library and information services to Latinos and the Spanish-speaking).

For more information and to register for the Institute, visit the Institute Web page at http://sir.arizona.edu/trejo. The registration deadline is June 30, 2007.